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Gov. Fallin Visits UCO to Announce
Plan to Increase College Graduates
Gov. Mary Fallin and a group of key state leaders were at
UCO in late September to unveil a plan to increase the num-ber
of Oklahomans with college degrees.
“Oklahoma is not producing enough college graduates and
that’s a disadvantage to Oklahoma,” Gov. Fallin said.
A business environment that fosters economic growth and
job creation must have an educated workforce. Studies
show that by the end of the decade, 60 percent of jobs will
require a college degree. Today, only a third of Oklahomans
are college graduates. That’s lower than Texas and far below
many Northeastern states where half the population is college
educated.
That’s not good enough, Gov. Fallin said, calling for the
state to increase the number of Oklahomans getting a college
degree by 67 percent over the next 12 years.
Joining Gov. Fallin were Chancellor Glen Johnson, Okla-homa
Secretary of Commerce Dave Lopez and Oklahoma
Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki.
To increase the number of Oklahoma college graduates, the
plan unveiled includes revamping college remedial courses,
making transferring college credits easier, aligning degrees
with business needs, encouraging students to finish degrees
on time and encouraging more adults to go back to school.
More support needs to be given to existing programs like
Reach Higher and Oklahoma Brain Gain.
“I thank the governor and the chancellor for making explicit
what we know: Education matters to the future of our fami-lies,
communities and states,” Central President Don Betz,
Ph.D., said. “As for the University of Central Oklahoma,
our location, program array and reputation combine to em-phasize
the collaborative role we will play.”
Oklahoma is one of 29 states to become part of the national
initiative called Complete College America, supported by
five national foundations — the Bill and Melinda Gates, the
Carnegie, the Ford, the Lumina and the W.K. Kellogg.
Complete College America has asked Oklahoma to serve as a
model for other states.
UCO President Don Betz, Ph.D., with Gov. Mary Fallin outside Central’s historic Old North building in September when she announced
the goal of Oklahoma increasing its number of college graduates by 67 percent over the next 12 years to meet employer needs.
F A L L 2 0 1 1 w w w . u c o . e d u
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C E N T R A L O K L A H O M A

Gov. Fallin Visits UCO to Announce
Plan to Increase College Graduates
Gov. Mary Fallin and a group of key state leaders were at
UCO in late September to unveil a plan to increase the num-ber
of Oklahomans with college degrees.
“Oklahoma is not producing enough college graduates and
that’s a disadvantage to Oklahoma,” Gov. Fallin said.
A business environment that fosters economic growth and
job creation must have an educated workforce. Studies
show that by the end of the decade, 60 percent of jobs will
require a college degree. Today, only a third of Oklahomans
are college graduates. That’s lower than Texas and far below
many Northeastern states where half the population is college
educated.
That’s not good enough, Gov. Fallin said, calling for the
state to increase the number of Oklahomans getting a college
degree by 67 percent over the next 12 years.
Joining Gov. Fallin were Chancellor Glen Johnson, Okla-homa
Secretary of Commerce Dave Lopez and Oklahoma
Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki.
To increase the number of Oklahoma college graduates, the
plan unveiled includes revamping college remedial courses,
making transferring college credits easier, aligning degrees
with business needs, encouraging students to finish degrees
on time and encouraging more adults to go back to school.
More support needs to be given to existing programs like
Reach Higher and Oklahoma Brain Gain.
“I thank the governor and the chancellor for making explicit
what we know: Education matters to the future of our fami-lies,
communities and states,” Central President Don Betz,
Ph.D., said. “As for the University of Central Oklahoma,
our location, program array and reputation combine to em-phasize
the collaborative role we will play.”
Oklahoma is one of 29 states to become part of the national
initiative called Complete College America, supported by
five national foundations — the Bill and Melinda Gates, the
Carnegie, the Ford, the Lumina and the W.K. Kellogg.
Complete College America has asked Oklahoma to serve as a
model for other states.
UCO President Don Betz, Ph.D., with Gov. Mary Fallin outside Central’s historic Old North building in September when she announced
the goal of Oklahoma increasing its number of college graduates by 67 percent over the next 12 years to meet employer needs.
F A L L 2 0 1 1 w w w . u c o . e d u
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C E N T R A L O K L A H O M A